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Rep. Eddy reacts to impeachment vote
By GARY HENRY
Staff Writer
“There was a mixture of emotions on the House floor this morning,” said Rep. Roger Eddy (R-Hutsonville), who served on the impeachment committee.
Eddy represents Edgar County in the House.
According to Eddy, the overriding mood was somber as legislators recognized the gravity of the situation.
“We had serious work to do,” said Eddy.
He added it was possible to detect a growing feeling of outrage as the allegations in the committee report was presented to the House.
“There was anger as the report was read – anger at the stupidity and evil that this governor has been responsible for,” Eddy said.
In addition, he noted there is a growing sense of frustration among legislators that it took this long to take meaningful action since many of the allegation date to Blagojevich’s first term.
“It really took an arrest and the slapping on of the handcuffs to move this,” Eddy said, referring to Blagojevich’s arrest in December by the FBI.
The next stage in the impeachment process is a trial in the Senate and upon conviction in that body, Blagojevich will be removed from office.
Eddy was uncertain how the Senate trial process will proceed. He described the impeachment process as outlined in the Illinois Constitution as “deliberately vague.”
Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) is a member of the rules committee that will determine how the Senate will handle its part of the impeachment. Eddy said the Senate committee has met but has not yet finalized its work. Righter also represents Edgar County in the legislature.
At least two possible approaches are available to the Senate. Eddy said the Senate may ask members of the House to serve as prosecutors in presenting the allegations of the impeachment bill, or the Senate may opt to use a special prosecutor – someone without a connection to the work done by the House.
Recent statements from the Blagojevich side have attempted to paint the impeachment committee as biased in its approach and deliberately denying the governor a fair hearing on the issue. Blagojevich has bunkered in his home and Chicago office since the arrest and elected not to appear before the committee.
Eddy said the claims of governor’s spin doctors are without foundation.
“We offered the governor, himself, multiple times to appear before us,” said Eddy. “His lawyer presented a defense and we even gave his lawyer the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses. In an impeachment, that is unprecedented due process.”
Eddy stressed the action taken this morning by the House is only the first step in righting Illinois’ badly damaged government.
“Now we have to look forward to what we do next,” said Eddy. “This doesn’t solve our budget problems or the malfeasance that is evident in other areas of government.”
Eddy represents Edgar County in the House.
According to Eddy, the overriding mood was somber as legislators recognized the gravity of the situation.
“We had serious work to do,” said Eddy.
He added it was possible to detect a growing feeling of outrage as the allegations in the committee report was presented to the House.
“There was anger as the report was read – anger at the stupidity and evil that this governor has been responsible for,” Eddy said.
In addition, he noted there is a growing sense of frustration among legislators that it took this long to take meaningful action since many of the allegation date to Blagojevich’s first term.
“It really took an arrest and the slapping on of the handcuffs to move this,” Eddy said, referring to Blagojevich’s arrest in December by the FBI.
The next stage in the impeachment process is a trial in the Senate and upon conviction in that body, Blagojevich will be removed from office.
Eddy was uncertain how the Senate trial process will proceed. He described the impeachment process as outlined in the Illinois Constitution as “deliberately vague.”
Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) is a member of the rules committee that will determine how the Senate will handle its part of the impeachment. Eddy said the Senate committee has met but has not yet finalized its work. Righter also represents Edgar County in the legislature.
At least two possible approaches are available to the Senate. Eddy said the Senate may ask members of the House to serve as prosecutors in presenting the allegations of the impeachment bill, or the Senate may opt to use a special prosecutor – someone without a connection to the work done by the House.
Recent statements from the Blagojevich side have attempted to paint the impeachment committee as biased in its approach and deliberately denying the governor a fair hearing on the issue. Blagojevich has bunkered in his home and Chicago office since the arrest and elected not to appear before the committee.
Eddy said the claims of governor’s spin doctors are without foundation.
“We offered the governor, himself, multiple times to appear before us,” said Eddy. “His lawyer presented a defense and we even gave his lawyer the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses. In an impeachment, that is unprecedented due process.”
Eddy stressed the action taken this morning by the House is only the first step in righting Illinois’ badly damaged government.
“Now we have to look forward to what we do next,” said Eddy. “This doesn’t solve our budget problems or the malfeasance that is evident in other areas of government.”
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| Court News – Pleas, Dec. 22, 2008 | Court news – charges, Dec. 22, 2008 |
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